h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is something that I searched the Guide and the Convo forums for and came up blank. To me, this is a very sad thing. Now, most people will not admit to this, but I hate closet anything, so I'll be the first.

D&D is a wonderfully simple idea that has become a really complex world. The basic thing is to take what every writer does, (the creation of their own world, people, races, religions, etc.) and bring it out into a group setting. The whole point is to spend time with your friends, create a world that you can have fun in for a few hours, and, most importantly, NOT WATCH TELEVISION. I have played the game several times, and I can tell you from experience that it's way more fun than watching the new episode of (insert generic tv show name here).

The only thing that puts most people off of it is the fact that what it all boils down to is a bunch of people (I say people because I have known a few females that will actually sit there and play the game with you) sitting in a room with some obscure rulebooks, rolling dice and talking. Doesn't that sound like almost any other social situation? Except maybe a good ol' party. But I digress, because there's only so much comparison between a game session and a party before you have to have people, liquor, and loud music.

All you really need to play are the base books, a set of dice, and a few friends with some reasonably open minds. Also, a good storyteller to DM for you.

Oh, one more thing, the type of game session I am talking about is me and a few friends, a few beers, and maybe some good music. That whole dressing up like a warlock or a barbarian really is sad, though if you're into that I won't knock you.

For anyone who is skeptical, try it. I swear on (insert "holy text" here) that it'll be way more fun than Grey's Anatomy.

NERDS UNITE!!!!!

Greetings, fellow nerd.

There are some games going on in the h2g2 conversation threads. And of course there are online adventure games. Nothing beats good old-fashioned kitchen table D&D, though.

Got that right. How would I go about getting involved in one o' dem games? I tried searchin for it but I musta typed in the wrong search criteria.

It just gets me that most ppl wont admit in the light of day that they're nerds. There should be no shame in it. It's way more fun, and less homo-erotic than football.

You could look through the classified ads for RPGs:
A630019

Or, start here at the h2g2 RPG club:
A874109

Or, pop by the Games Room to find games and gamers:
A4167605

There are many things to love about h2g2, but the "search h2g2" feature isn't one of them. I use google to search this site, for example:

RPG site:www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2


Happy Nerd

Thnx I'll check it out. I can't quite figure out how an online D&D game works, but it can't be more complicated than the good ol' kitchen table variety.

How they work? The computer system takes care of the DM's job by presenting a scenario, very quickly generating random numbers, performing table-lookup, providing NPCs and monsters, tracking how many hit points a player or monster has left, that sort of thing. Built in chat or messaging functions are used to help players talk to each other for coordination and socialization.

Did you ever play the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy game?

Nah, but I would love to. I'd also just about kill for a copy of Starship Titanic. Or a copy of the original hitchiker radio tapes or scripts.

*The smoke escaped from the lamp and coalesced into a genie.*

"Your wish is granted," said the genie. "One of them, anyway."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml

I picked up a used copy of "The Original Hitchhiker Radio Scripts" soft-bound for $9. You could pop by and read it*, check with your local used book store, or try online.

If I knew how to get to where you're at, I would drive there for the sole purpose of kissing your feet. Now I don't have to take a life! Do you mean pop by your personal space? Cause i'm pretty sure that the used book stores I go to won't have it. Ever. I live in South Carolina and, to be honest, the state doesn't put much emphasis on british culture at large, Douglas Adams at all. My brother and I are just about the only two people in a forty mile radius that have even heard of DNA, let alone actually read the books.

It would be a long drive. Mr. Nerd and I live in northern California. It may be easier to locate a used copy through Amazon.com or some other online book seller.

Of course if you are coming out here to admire the redwoods anyway...

That is quite a drive. But I've been planning to come out to cali anyway. Now if I could only work out how...

Well, we'd be into a micro-meet when you do so.

So, how's the Hitchhiker's game coming along? It was one of the most non-obvious games I ever played, I have to admit.

micro-meet? I must admit this term is unfamiliar to me.

The game is very difficult. I kept getting hit in the head with a brick. I was going to say something clever here on the subject of bricks and their effect on the human skull, but I've had one too many, so I'll let it go. I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but I had to look up a guide. I guess we all need a little help every now and again, but I can't believe I had to do that. I thought having read the books like, six or so times, and watching the movie, and listening to what I could get hold of of the original radio series would help, but no. Turns out I'm just a stragg. (Doug, forgive me!!) Non-obvious is spot-on exactly right. It's fun once you start to get what's going on, but before then it's pretty tough. I woulda never got the babel fish if I hadn't a had help. Also, giving the sandwich to the dog was a nice touch. Gives kids today a sense of gratitude. Thanks for the link, I seriously owe you one for that.

A meet is a big h2g2 researcher get-together; most meets seem to be in Britain or Europe. Smaller get-togethers are called mini-meets or micro-meets.

There are some USA-based researcher groups, and it might be worth leaving a message with the people in the group closest to you. A660313